BHS POLITICSkatepemberton'19

Welcome back Bulldogs! As you know, the presidential race escalated quite a bit over the summer. Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton became the respective nominees for the Republican and Democratic parties, yet many are refusing to vote in November. Even though many are still ‘Feeling the Bern,’ the Democratic party is more united than ever. Meanwhile, Republicans are laughing at Donald Trump memes, and then crying. Finally, many are rallying behind independent Gary Johnson, who up until a couple months ago, was unknown. While there are some at Bedford High who are Hillary for President, some who helped decorate the Hillary for Prison house on Boynton Street (okay probably not to that extent) and some who would write in Harambe on their ballots, we can all agree on one thing: you know politics has gone downhill when former presidential candidate Jeb Bush makes fun of his career at the Emmys. In this article, I asked a few students here at BHS what their political views are, and what current issue they think affects us the most. Without further ado, here are the answers I received.“I am a Republican because I believe that the political views associated with the party align with my views. I like the party because of the stances on social issues and the conservative approach to spending,” says Junior Kristen Lavoie. Lavoie believes that the current presidential election affects our generation the most because “the candidates that are left are both unfit to govern the country, so this will show our children that this is the best that our country can offer.” On the other hand, some students at BHS have mixed views about the believes of this nation’s two primary political parties. “I am socially liberal and fiscally conservative,” says Sophomore Nolan Raike. For those of you who don’t know, if you’re fiscally conservative, you like a small government and low taxes, and if you’re socially liberal, you believe that everyone has a right to do as they please, as long as they are not hurting anyone. Fiscally conservative ideals include a balanced budget and budget cuts, while social liberalism advocates for feminism, LGBTQ rights, and the right to abortion. Fiscal liberalism typically opposes lower taxes and small government, while social conservatives typically oppose LGBTQ rights and the right to abortion. For my last interview, a student that chooses to remain anonymous states, “I think that the guy who gives away free donkeys or whatever is the best.” Don’t we all.

If you are interested in politics, or simply need the Democracy in Action hours, then Leaders of Democracy is the club for you! Please email Nicole Earnshaw at 9956219@bedfordnhk12.net, and look for flyers around the school.